Dalai Lama: “We Need an Education of the Heart”

By TENZIN GYATSO THE 14TH DALAI LAMA
NOV. 13, 2017

When the president of the United States says “America first,” he is making his voters happy. I can understand that. But from a global perspective, this statement isn’t relevant. Everything is interconnected today.

The new reality is that everyone is interdependent with everyone else. The United States is a leading nation of the free world. For this reason, I call on its president to think more about global-level issues. There are no national boundaries for climate protection or the global economy. No religious boundaries, either. The time has come to understand that we are the same human beings on this planet. Whether we want to or not, we must coexist.

History tells us that when people pursue only their own national interests, there is strife and war. This is shortsighted and narrow-minded. It is also unrealistic and outdated. Living together as brothers and sisters is the only way to peace, compassion, mindfulness and more justice.

The time has come to understand that we are the same human beings on this planet. Whether we want to or not, we must coexist.

Religion can to a certain degree help to overcome division. But religion alone will not be enough. Global secular ethics are now more important than the classical religions. We need a global ethic that can accept both believers and nonbelievers, including atheists.

My wish is that, one day, formal education will pay attention to the education of the heart, teaching love, compassion, justice, forgiveness, mindfulness, tolerance and peace. This education is necessary, from kindergarten to secondary schools and universities. I mean social, emotional and ethical learning. We need a worldwide initiative for educating heart and mind in this modern age.

At present our educational systems are oriented mainly toward material values and training one’s understanding. But reality teaches us that we do not come to reason through understanding alone. We should place greater emphasis on inner values.

Intolerance leads to hatred and division. Our children should grow up with the idea that dialogue, not violence, is the best and most practical way to solve conflicts. The young generations have a great responsibility to ensure that the world becomes a more peaceful place for all. But this can become reality only if we educate, not just the brain, but also the heart. The educational systems of the future should place greater emphasis on strengthening human abilities, such as warm-heartedness, a sense of oneness, humanity and love.

I see with ever greater clarity that our spiritual well-being depends not on religion, but on our innate human nature — our natural affinity for goodness, compassion and caring for others. Regardless of whether we belong to a religion, we all have a fundamental and profoundly human wellspring of ethics within ourselves. We need to nurture that shared ethical basis.

Ethics, as opposed to religion, are grounded in human nature. Through ethics, we can work on preserving creation. Empathy is the basis of human coexistence. It is my belief that human development relies on cooperation, not competition. Science tells us this.

We must learn that humanity is one big family. We are all brothers and sisters: physically, mentally and emotionally. But we are still focusing far too much on our differences instead of our commonalities. After all, every one of us is born the same way and dies the same way.

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet and a Nobel laureate for peace. He wrote this op-ed with Franz Alt, a television journalist and bestselling author. This piece is adapted from their new book, “An Appeal to the World: The Way to Peace in a Time of Division.”

Two Quotes on Peace:

Peace comes from the absence of fear, from a consciousness of trust, from a deep, underlying faith in the absolute goodness and mercy, the final integrity of the universe in which we live, and of every cause to which we give our thought, our time and our attention. If we would have peace outwardly, we must first realize peace inwardly. – Ernest Holmes

“If there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between neighbors, there must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart.” – Moving from peace in the heart to peace in the world,  Lao Tzu

A Labyrinthine Focus on Peace

Labyrinths, with their unique geometric shaping, have been known since antiquity as an expression of human creativity and spiritual connection. It is designed to foster contemplation and offers an opportunity for spiritual transformation, with its single path into the heart of the labyrinth and then back in to the outer world. Not just a meander, it is a journey to ‘quiet’ and release the beast within (as in the story of the Minotaur) whilst allowing for a healing through a contemplative walk that some have called ‘the Pilgrim’s Walk.’

In the labyrinth, we each become a pilgrim, a soul re-connecting with Itself more closely through release and forgiveness of what has gone before, creating a mental and emotional space to allow the inspiration of a deeper wisdom.

The slow rhythm of the Pilgrim’s walk, rocking forward and back with each step, finding the center of gravity in each step, allows for slower, deeper breathing. This in turn allows the brain wavelengths to slow and the mind to stop it’s normal racing through the day with an internalization, awareness registering who and what we really are: spiritual beings, emanations of that One Perfect Is-ness in, through, as, around and for all beings.

In such moments, we re-connect in the heart-space, at-one with Infinite Love. In such moments, we re-connect with peace. In such moments, our essence expands, rippling out as the energy of peace, encircling our world and everything and everyone in it. In such moments, contemplation is on forgiveness, compassion, peace and truth.

Whether you partake of a physical walk or tracing around an image with your finger, may you know those moments of calm, of surrender to something so much greater than ourselves. May you connect in the labyrinth of your mind.

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The Centers for Spiritual Living Heart of Peace Initiative invites you to experience a virtual or physical labyrinth on May 6, 2023. Be a pilgrim for a day. Around the world, people will start walking their labyrinth pilgrimage at 1 PM in their time zone. You may join us virtually on Centers for Spiritual Living Facebook page at 1 PM in any time zone (or at 12:50 PM MT for a live walk). OR you may walk a labyrinth in your local area at that time. (Find more at LabyrinthLocator.com).

Centers for Spiritual Living also invites you to join us at the Labyrinth Restoration Weekend, May 19-21, 2023, at our camp in Vernonia, Oregon – Camp Cedar Ridge. We will be restoring the historic labyrinth on the property which was originally built by our CSL Teen Camp attendees in the early 2000s. Overnight lodging is free – we ask only that you select a meal plan to help cover food costs. Come join us in sacred service, rebuild the labyrinth and be one of the first to walk it! For more information, visit the Camp Cedar Ridge Labyrinth Restoration Weekend page.

“Peace Pilgrim: Be Like a Child”

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-3).

There are many types of pilgrimages. One type is to walk a labyrinth. It can be a pilgrimage to the center of our being, hence, the Divine spark that creates and holds all of creation. Pilgrimages provide the opportunity to connect with the Divine in an intimate way. Each walk is different, each walk has a different intention, each walk is a spiritual journey.  Let’s look a little closer at what a labyrinth pilgrimage can bring to us.

Above all else, pilgrimage is praying with your body and it’s praying with your feet. It’s an exterior prayer, and the exterior prayer keeps calling you into the interior prayer. —Richard Rohr

The labyrinth provides the mechanism for our physical body to get in alignment with and also out of the way of the spiritual connection we seek in moments of solitude. As one walks, the mind and spirit are free to explore the inner world. The walk is simple. Labyrinths do not confuse – they do not try to trip us up (like a maze). The path is clear. The path may be awkward and full of twists and turns, just like our lives. We can walk with purpose – no matter how large or small the intention and purpose may be.

When one reaches the center, the opportunity is to embrace the intimacy of holy connection. The opportunity to ‘hear’ or ‘experience’ the connection – and hence the answer to any intention is present.

Your soul no longer stays still. It’s moving with God in the world, and moving toward God, revealed in signs or shrines or saints or surroundings. The pilgrim’s walking body holds incarnate this inner journey of the soul.
—Wesley Granberg-Michaelson

A suggestion for walking a labyrinth pilgrimage: walk as a child, with childlike wonder and acceptance. A pilgrim must be like a child who can approach everything with an attitude of wonder and awe and faith. Let’s pray for wonder. Let’s pray for awe. Let’s pray for desire, and ask God to take away our cynicism. —Richard Rohr

Yet most, in walking a labyrinth, may not experience holy union or immediate answers. A child doesn’t care about these things that a mature mind may want. The child is there to play and experience. Sometimes we do not receive the direct answer to any question or intention as we walk a labyrinth (virtually or physically), yet whatever is experienced is carried forward to and affects our daily lives.

I have had many personal experiences of walking, or even dancing a labyrinth and receiving nothing but perhaps the feeling of an intimate connection, perhaps desire for more or perhaps a feeling of vulnerability and/or humility as I seek the Divine in this most intimate setting. Yet days later, I may receive the answer to the intention, or something will shift in the outer or inner world, and answers or inspirations appear. Will I always remember that ‘the walk is just the walk’, whatever happens or not is perfect in the moment? The walk is for me, not to display any ‘holiness’.

Perhaps a way for you to walk a labyrinth is:

            Determine your purpose or intention (perhaps forgiveness, peace, divine connection, resolution, etc.) Walk (dance, sing, or play a game) into the labyrinth releasing all preconceived notions or thoughts about the subject. Open yourself to the inspiration of the walk. At the center, be open to receive any gifts of the Spirit – from your inner spirit. As you walk out from the center, be open to more suggestions from Spirit. Be open to the idea that answers or direction may not present themselves at this time. Incorporate anything that does show up. The important thing is your intention and willingness. This entire process requires a brave heart, a willingness to give up any preconceived notions, and an openness to Spirit moving in your life. Incorporate all the ‘aliveness’ you may feel.

The Centers for Spiritual Living Heart of Peace Initiative invites you to experience a virtual or physical labyrinth on May 6, 2023. Be a pilgrim for a day. Around the world, people will start walking their labyrinth pilgrimage at 1 PM in their time zone. You may join us virtually on Centers for Spiritual Living Facebook page at 1 PM in any time zone (or at 12:50 PM MT for a live walk). OR you may walk a labyrinth in your local area at that time. (Find more at LabyrinthLocator.com).

Centers for Spiritual Living also invites you to join us at the Labyrinth Restoration Weekend, May 19-21, 2023, at our camp in Vernonia, Oregon – Camp Cedar Ridge. We will be restoring the historic labyrinth on the property which was originally built by our CSL Teen Camp attendees in the early 2000s. Overnight lodging is free – we ask only that you select a meal plan to help cover food costs. Come join us in sacred service, rebuild the labyrinth and be one of the first to walk it! For more information, visit the Camp Cedar Ridge Labyrinth Restoration Weekend page.

“Imagine With Me”
By Rev. Trish Hall

It dawned on me recently that what I have been experiencing in the aftermath of the pandemic, was described in a story by Washington Irving. A few years ago, my life seemed to have some order to it. The pandemic hit. I felt like the letter-cubes being shaken in a Boggle cup. I accepted the role of the letters and made sense of my life within the confines of pandemic rules. Then the rules changed again. Like Rip Van Winkle, an amiable farmer who wandered into the Catskill Mountains where he came upon a group of dwarfs playing ninepins, I found myself in a different world among many unrecognizable people behaving in ways that were foreign to me. Rip accepted their offer of a drink of liquor and promptly fell asleep. I watched horrific scenes and appalling statistics on television, listened attentively to learn about medicines and sequestered. He awakened, 20 years later, as an old man with a long white beard; the dwarfs were nowhere in sight. Rip wandered into town and found everything was different.

I didn’t grow a long white beard. My slumber was only 2-3 years, but my disorientation was on par. Information (and misinformation) was coming from all directions. Schools and scheduling changed. Workplaces had been transformed. We learned, on a daily basis, which people, companies and organizations had survived. Everyone, in some way, had been impacted.

For many, re-socialization has been a struggle. Some adjusted to isolation so well that reconnecting with the world in-person was, and still is, scary. Navigating the new rules, or lack thereof, caused a sense of instability. Wobbling, tumbling, scrambling for a known that no longer exists, stressed many relationships to the breaking point.

Yet, deep within the disorientation, there is a vital energy calling us to emerge out of the cave of illusion into the light. We are being called to embrace the divine creativity within us.

Just as the phoenix rose from the ashes, we have the opportunity to discard behaviors and beliefs that do not serve us. Whether they ever did is irrelevant. Now freed from our tethers, we can overcome obstacles, achieve goals previously thought to be unattainable and create a world that works.

Now is the time to come together to cause a paradigm shift in the course of history. We need not be concerned that there may seem to be only a few who understand that this is our time to make a difference. Margaret Wheatley advised, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

This is a time of new beginnings. Everything we thought we knew has been impacted in some way – some cataclysmically, some minorly – none have escaped completely. Not in my lifetime, have I experienced a potentially clean slate on which to design a new world. Multitudes are still clinging to pieces of the past, terrified of the unknown, grasping onto tendrils of the past, impeding the emergence of a new way of being. Some have surrendered and given up, heading back into the cave to be re-shackled to the wall. Others have surrendered in a different way: they have released their attachment to trying to reinstate the past and are enthusiastically awakening to possibility … to calling forth pure creative potential. These are a new breed of investors – willing to invest heart and soul in creating a world that works. These are the ones that see the opportunities that abound – opportunities to be the facilitators birthing a world that works.

Imagine with me, a world in which all persons live in alignment with their highest spiritual principle, understanding the interconnectedness of all creation – in which there is an awakening to its spiritual magnificence. There would be no atrocities perpetrated. Kindness, and respect of each other as divine emanations would be the norm. Resources are valued, grown, cared for, and shared so that everyone has enough so that terms such as homelessness and food instability would only be words in the dictionary from times gone by. Everyone belongs in our new world.

Imagine a world which draws on spiritual wisdom and the lessons of experience -in which people respect and honor the interconnectedness of all life. This is our time for awakening heart based social conscience in every area of the political, corporate, academic, and social sectors, building sustainable structures to foster the emergence of global consciousness – a global ethic – a world in which the kinship all life prospers.

Imagine everyone discovering the creative power of thought and using it for the betterment of all people: a world that works on the individual and global levels.

Feel the world becoming peaceful, when, as Jimi Hendrix said, “…the power of love overcomes the love of power …”

I love the imagery of creativity, on the brink of chaos, thriving. We have experienced more than enough chaos – now is our chance to midwife the birth of a new world – a world of peace, prosperity, compassion and caring across the planet and in each household.

Imagine with me, people everywhere emphasizing unity with their creator and connection with each other – individually and collectively responding to the call of Spirit to take action. An awakened “world that works for everyone and for all of creation,” is emerging as each of us does our part.

Listen deeply and respond! How are you to be? What is yours to do? What cause is spirit calling you to set in motion?

[Pathways “Reawakening and Reinvesting…in Self, People & Planet”]

Forgiveness
by Rev. Sharri Johnson

Recently, a friend asked me if I had forgiven somebody else for something they had done. My answer surprised me. I said I had not, because that person didn’t need forgiving. Then I added that I HAD forgiven myself – for thinking anybody needed my forgiveness for anything. In fact, over the past few years, I have come to realize that, like time, forgiveness is a man-made construct.

What I mean is that, since Spirit is the essence of Love, both infinite and unconditional, It cannot include sin or forgiveness in Its vocabulary. Think about it: infinite love can recognize an error, but only as a step in the evolution of perfection. That means we should APPRECIATE mistakes, both ours and those of others, as signals of growth. That also means that Spirit/God/the Infinite, has never seen anything that required forgiveness, and has therefore never forgiven anyone for anything. Being, as we are, created in that same mold, forgiveness is not a natural part of human consciousness, either. I think the concept was born as a way to justify revenge. Ego says that if I get even, THEN I can let go of the anger/hurt/resentment I’ve been holding, but not until then. Forgiveness is the carrot we use to justify the stick of revenge.

Imagine how peacefully we could live if we released revenge and forgiveness and adopted growth and evolution. It’s pretty radical, when we look at the history of human mistakes and their concomitant revenge, but I love a challenge, so I am choosing to make this my tradition. Care to join me?

Happy Birthday, Dr. Ernest Holmes!
by Rev. Kathy Mastroianni, Executive Director, Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation
Committee Member for Heart of Peace Initiative

Here we are in January of 2023. How did that happen?!?! Another year has passed and we are now on the precipice of a fresh and shiny New Year—one filled with Infinite Possibilities! We have a choice now, don’t we? We can allow what Thomas Troward called “the law of averages” take over and it may be a good year…or maybe not. OR—we can use the powerful, Peaceful teaching of Science of Mind and Consciously co-Create with Spirit what we DO want to manifest in our world. Perhaps a world filled with Peace?

January has traditionally been known as “Back to Basics Month,” not only because it is the first month of the year and a great time to brush up on the basics of this teaching, but also because in January is the birthday of our Founder, Dr. Ernest Holmes.

Who is this man?

It was January 21, 1887–136 years ago—on a cold winter’s early morn in a small cabin outside of Lincoln, Maine, when the Founder of the Science of Mind movement made his entrance into the world—and all of our worlds would be forever changed for the better. Ernest Shurtleff Holmes was born the last of nine sons to Anna and William Holmes (one died before Ernest was born). From an early age, he had an insatiable curiosity, asking questions about EVERYTHING! So much so, he was known as “the eternal question mark”. He was also known for his positive and joyful continence. At one place of work, he was given the nickname “Happy”. Happy Holmes. No wonder our movement is known to be both “Open at the Top” and very positive. One minister shared with me that when their church group went on a cruise together, they were deemed, “The happy church.”

Learn more about Ernest Holmes history and evolution here: https://scienceofmindarchives.com/about-ernest-holmes/

You

If you are reading this, in some way, your life has been touched by Dr. Holmes. I invite you to take a moment to reflect on your life, your evolution and how you first found Science of Mind. How has your life been changed? How has it been transformed? How much more Peaceful is your world, thanks to this teaching that Dr. Holmes created? In this bright and shiny New Year, what is your personal intention for Peace in your own life? In the world?

From individual Peace to World Peace, Dr. Holmes and Science of Mind provide spiritual tools that fit every situation. As the Master Teacher Jesus said (that Holmes frequently quoted), “It is done unto you AS you believe.” Do you believe in the possibility of Inner Peace and Peace on Earth? We need to watch our thoughts because they create our realities.

We know that to reveal World Peace, it starts with our own Inner Peace. We get to discover that no matter what is going on around us, there is this Invisible Presence that is always within us—guiding us and loving us. Dr. Holmes starts off all of his Radio Shows with, “There is a Power for Good in the Universe, greater than you are, and you can use It.” Wow! And YES!

If you search for the word “Peace” in the 1938 edition of the Science of Mind Textbook, it comes up 122 times. Yes, I am “geeky” enough that one of my favorite parts of the Textbook is the Glossary. In the Glossary, Dr. Holmes defines Peace as the following:

“Peace: A state of inner calm. An inner calm so complete that nothing can disturb it. The Peace which comes only from the knowledge that It is All. Fathomless Peace is meant by the Peace of the Spirit. This is the peace to which Jesus referred when he said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” The Infinite is always at peace because there is nothing to disturb It. A realization of our Oneness with Omnipresence brings peace, the peace which is accompanied by a consciousness of power.”

Peace Now

From “The Path of Discovery” by Rev. Scott Aubry:

Ernest Holmes and Albert Einstein had an opportunity to share ideas over dinner, where each spoke on science and abstract laws. Ernest shared with Dr. Einstein his views on world peace, saying that “permanent world peace is not an illusion but a potential possibility and an evolutionary imperative, and science will aid in that evolution.”

Each one of us is made up of the Omnipresence and Infinite Potential of Spirit. From this teaching we know that “it is not I, but the Father that doeth the work.” My invitation to you is to truly let go of the lesser for the Greater and truly Believe and Know that Peace is within you and AS you right Now. Since there is no big or small for God, let us also Know that True Peace on our Planet is revealed here and Now, as well.

Celebrate Dr. Holmes’ Birth with the Science of Mind Archives!

The Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation is honored to be the keepers of our history by fulfilling the great vision of “Preserving, protecting, and presenting Science of Mind philosophy and history” for all of us and the world. Here it is, 136 years since Dr. Holmes was born into this world and 62 years since he made his transition, and more and more of Dr. Holmes’ profound mystical and Peace-full wisdom continues to be made available to the world to touch and transform lives—thanks to the Archives website: www.scienceofmindarchives.com

On January 21, 2023, the Science of Mind Archives will host their third annual virtual Birthday Party for Dr. Holmes! Every year the parties just get better and better. The party is free to attend and includes opportunities to support the Archives.

Please join co-hosts Dr. Barry Ebert along with me, Rev. Kathy Mastroianni, as we guide you through a fun and inspiring celebration. Experience:

• Joyful music by Ray Davis, Jennifer Burnett and Thom Lich, Park Peters and Barry Ebert and Denise Rosier!
• Updates on Archives accomplishments from this past year and what to look forward to in this coming year.
• Special guests: Dr. Roger Teel, Dr. Lloyd Barrett and Dr. Jesse Jennings. The guest of honor—himself!–makes an appearance!
• You will learn how you can be part of the Archives so we can—together–get this Peace-full teaching out to the world to reveal Peace in folks individually and thus amplifying Peace collectively and around the world. Peace on Earth—here we come!

RSVP with this link so you can receive the link to join the party: https://paybee.io/vevent.html?eventId=6334ce41365fca6008fe370d&action=openrsvp

Blessings to you for a Peaceful 2023!

Peace Around the World

Rev. Trish Hall

“Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social markers of difference.” – Nelson Mandela

Deep within their beings, John Randolph Price and his wife, Jan, understood true Peace. They envisioned millions of people around the planet joining together in a “global mind-link” to heal the world and reveal peace, so they launched the World Healing Day, December 31, 1986. Their concept was clear – a moment in time in which the consciousness of millions would be linked in a single focus:  A worldwide, congruent embodiment of healing and harmonizing Planet Earth.  The power of such clarity in any moment is unstoppable.  Recognizing the challenge of sustainability, they established it as an annual event strategically placed right before the start of each year.  This year is the 37^th annual gathering.  It has grown consistently.  Most people, once they have participated, feel the call to do it again and again.

The Heart of Peace Initiative of Centers for Spiritual Living Global Services took up the challenge to engage a mind-link, as the Prices had envisioned, to transmute moments of Peace into continuities.  The Initiative’s vision sees millions of people diving into the consciousness of peace, healing, and harmony at random times as well as specific events, spontaneously reconnecting with the mind-link.  The Prices believed, and we agree, that the sense of connection is a powerful factor in peace building. 

There is a traditional African concept of humaneness, for caring, sharing and being in harmony with all of creation.  In In Zulu or Xhosa, the term is “ubuntu.”  A friend told me, “The concept is easy: I am because we are.”  Peace arises when we connect with and care for one another.  Whether we call it Amani (Swahili) or Ukuthula (Zulu) or Peace, we are intuitively drawn to it. 

Alas, we humans tend to get distracted by the swirl of worldly circumstances.  Often distractions trigger attitudes that are the antithesis of harmony.  Yet, that innate desire within to connect stirs ever growing numbers of hearts to heal and allow peace to prevail. The undulating, rippling effect of this desire is contagious and lifts the consciousness within everyone, everywhere whether they are conscious of what is happening or not. 

When we look around, the world – even our individual thoughts – seem rife with examples of discord, violence, and disasters.  It can be overwhelming.  The voice of doubt may raise its head, questioning, “What difference can I possibly make.”  The answer is, “You make a world of difference!  Every act of love, of kindness, of compassion ripples out touching and transforming others who consciously or otherwise do the same.”  Just imagine the result if each one of us raised these simple acts to the level of commitment and took responsibility for the influence we have on others. 

One of the things you can do is participate in the annual World Healing Meditation that commences precisely at 12:00 AM GMT on December 31^st.  You can do this individually, or in-person groups or join the Heart of Peace Initiative which provides an hour of inspiration including affirmations, meditation and readings focused on the realization of global peace, healing all aspects of the world, revealing peace on the Centers for Spiritual Living Facebook page at http://facebook.com/CentersforSpiritualLiving

It serves no purpose to deny what is happening globally and locally. Unless we acknowledge that there is a problem, we are powerless to make changes. How do we walk the tightrope of being fully engaged, committed to transforming the problem, yet not lose ourselves in the problem so that we become a force of separation?   The passion that ignites our desire to manifest a world that works for everyone, can all too easily become divisive rather than unifying.  Spirit stirs us to recognize that which needs to change, to seek solutions, to be impassioned to cause change, and to do so in ways that unite rather than separate us.

We receive conflicting messages:  we must “feel it to heal it,” yet warned, “That which you focus upon expands in your experience.” Recognizing what needs to be changed demands that we look objectively at ourselves and circumstances.  Simultaneously, we must feel it and sense it deeply, in order to muster the energy to be a cause for change yet not get so consumed by it that we lose perspective and become ineffective.  We must place our focus on healing – to call forth the Divine Truth that shifts human experience at the level of cause.  Divine Truth does not deny circumstances. It provides the means to effect lasting change of circumstances.  It diminishes the human propensity to get distracted and waste energy on behaviors that widen rifts and entrench the sense of separation.  It calls us to be healers – unifiers that dissolve the sense of separation.

So what is “healing”?  The simple answer is to make whole.  We must reunite our divided nature, releasing our fixation on what is wrong with the world and opening to pure potentiality – to accepting responsibility for doing our part to heal ourselves and the world.  Sometimes in the midst of chaos, it is hard to see “Truth beyond appearances.”  Sometimes, it is hard to remember when surrounded by alligators, that we are there to drain the swamp – to remember it is the Truth that sets us free from the alligators.

Ernest Holmes declared, “We have within us, a power that is greater than anything we shall ever contact in the outer, a power that can overcome every obstacle in our life and set us safe, satisfied and at peace, healed and prosperous, in a new light, and in a new life.”  Simply because we have it is no assurance that we use it for good purpose – that is a matter of choice.  How then do we choose to be?  Do we use of this power peacefully, as compassion, healing of strife and global chaos or do we remain imprisoned by beliefs that global peace is not possible because it has not yet been experienced?  Do we take responsibility for our past mistakes, learn from them, and redirect our thoughts and actions?  Do we uproot our misplaced faith in the inevitability of that which is not desired, or do we embrace the power within and be catalysts for change – catalysts for peace?

It is time to subdue all inner conflict by giving no further attention to the many distractions – the side issues that divert us from the fulfillment of our goal.  We achieve this by engaging all our thoughts and feelings in constructive, creative, and productive consciousness – by being peace. 

We are imbued with the ability to use the most powerful healing force in the universe: Love.  It cannot be destroyed. It can be ignored. By denying its power, we cause ourselves and others pain. Embracing it is the only answer. Through the power of love, we can release ourselves from history’s entanglements and begin again. Love heals and makes whole.

Embarking on this transformative journey of shifting from individual moments of peace to continuities of peace, we must release attachment to how it’s always been, how we want it to appear, and ready ourselves so that Divine Possibility can have its way with us.  An ancient Zen story provides guidance.  It tells about a university professor who went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. “It’s full! No more will go in!” the professor blurted. “This is you,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup.”  We must empty ourselves so that we are available to new learning and new experiences. 

We are always at choice: the choice of how we are to be in each and every situation, the choice to be a conscious activity of God, the choice to apply spiritual principles to every circumstance, the choice to remember that the Truth that we know within must express into and as form, as circumstance, the choice to simply perpetuate our mistakes or learn from them and manifest our global vision of a world that works for all.

The Heart of Peace Initiative invites you to be a catalyst for global healing and sustainable peace, transforming moments of peace to continuities.  You are encouraged to experiment with being a conscious presence as peace in a variety of settings and being kind and respectful when circumstances might lure you to be otherwise.  We welcome you to meditate with us weekly on Facebook for Collective Peace Meditation at 1:00 PM (US Mountain Time) and for our array of other peace practices throughout the year. 

Start 2023 by attending the World Healing Peace Meditation at 12:00 PM GMT December 31, 2022 on Center for Spiritual Living, Heart of Peace, Facebook Live. 

SPIRITUAL CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD IN THE FALL

Rev. Erica Brown, spiritual director of CSL Christchurch UK (teaching centre) (UK spelling)

At the end of October, the Hindu festival of Diwali celebrated the human ability to overcome, and for good to triumph over evil; followed by western culture’s Halloween festivities around remembering all who have already transitioned from the mortal plane, with its opportunities to contemplate ancestral deeds and hurts in order to forgive and release them and harmonise our thoughts and feelings.  

November is a time for the late harvest in the Northern Hemisphere, a time to focus on the good we have received this year, a time to expand our awareness or consciousness ahead of the winter’s celebrations of our inter-connectedness with Nature, the Lifeforce Energy that sustains us.  My garden has many wasps helping to ‘tidy’ windfalls from the fruit trees, re-cycling fallen branches into the pulp of their beautiful nests whilst so many of the plants ready themselves for Winter by shutting down their sap, turning their leaves into glowing colours before becoming dormant in preparation for next year’s developments and growth.  The fruits and seeds feed many of the local wildlife and much gets buried to germinate ready for the Spring.

In North America, November is the month for Thanksgiving – for the sharing of life-enhancing sustenance from one group of people to another.  We have this time to re-focus on the gifts from people that nourish us in body and soul, of Nature and its ultimate Source, the ongoing life-enhancing gifts of the One Universe of which we are all part.

In times where the media try to sow seeds of fear and discord, we turn our focus to the underlying truth that unites us all and has the potential to enrich us in so many diverse ways – from the fruits of seeds planted earlier in the year and the recurring bounty of the trees, to opening up opportunities of experience in our happy activities with others, preparing and storing foods for diverse Winter celebrations – we align in gratitude with the Oneness behind all those myriads of expressions of Itself, seeking to unify and harmonise our understandings of That. 

Knowing the Infinite Universal Intelligence indwelling all things and all beings is always seeking to be more of Itself by means of us, Its co-creators, in our interaction with It, we can harmonize our thoughts and feelings – about those who have transitioned or are in the process of doing so, and for those near and far that have fuelled the media in ways that mirror inner conflicts we may still harbour (however unknowingly) – and we can repeat the Ho’oponopono:

I’m sorry – that I am seeing an out-picturing of inner conflicts I was not aware I still had

Please forgive me – for my unawareness of them whose energy contributed in any way to the conflicts you are going through

I love you – and recognise the divine spark in you, fanning its flames in your awareness

Thank you! – for this opportunity to recognise aspects of discord in me, my beliefs, conditioning, or inherited energies, that can now surface for healing and harmonisation as I re-align with that Peace that passes all understanding that lies at the Heart of Infinite Unlimitable Love – at one with the One.

Freckles

Rev. Sharri Johnson

When I was a little girl, I heard an adult say, “Enough freckles, working together, can make a suntan!” I thought it was a clever line, but I also thought the likelihood of freckles cooperating was exceedingly remote.  Even as a child I knew freckles couldn’t think!

Lately, I have been, like most conscious adults, many teens, and even a few preteen children in our society, giving a lot of thought to the increased violence in our world – not just in the US, but around the globe. I have wondered, and I suspect this is a very common quandary, “What can I do that matters, that changes the violence level in the world?!?” A major blessing for me is that I know there is a definite answer – there really is something I can do that can influence this situation. In fact, my purpose today is to remind all of our readers, and through them, all of the folks around them, that there is always something we can do that matters. It might not provide a solution, but it will reduce the impact of the problem being addressed.

Are you thinking, “She’s going to ask us to pray,”? Well, of course, that is always appropriate and beneficial, but I am actually thinking in terms of concrete, practical action right now. Let’s start with children – they can make a conscious effort to be peacemakers, on the playground and in the home. Teens, have a wider reach – they can actually create projects to promote peace (and many of them are already doing this!), and those projects are not confined to our borders. Adults, well, we are (at least nominally) in charge of things, so we have the most power for change. That power is usually felt most when we vote – with our dollars, supporting peaceful organizations, with our voices writing and speaking to groups who can increase the scope of any peace movement, and with our political power at the polls – voting really is both a sacred right and an immense responsibility. We make a difference when we choose where to buy groceries and clothing, when we choose what to watch on TV or at the movies, when we choose what to follow and how to comment on social media. We also vote when we choose not to give our consciousness to finding solutions, because that is a choice to support violence.

And yes, prayer does have an impact, even when the one praying cannot feel or see it, so definitely keep praying. I have chosen to spend 15 minutes of my morning prayer time focusing on the situation in Ukraine. I encourage each person reading this to pick a person somewhere in the world who is participating in violence and pray for the awakening of that person to our innate Oneness. My commitment is for one year, at the end of that time, I fully expect to be able to see the impact of my prayers (I might have to squint a little, but I know it will be there). Consider jumping on this focused prayer train with me – become a spiritual freckle – just think of the peace tan we can make!

Peace is More…

By Rev. Trish Hall

“One World, One Love, One Peace” – Global Heart of Peace Initiative’s celebration of the United Nations’ World Day of Peace on September 21, 2022

Peace is more than freedom from disturbance or the absence of war.  It is a commitment to assuring the well-being of all.

Peace is more than a state of tranquility.  Tranquility is a feeling – a sense of calm and quiet that is by its nature transient, ephemeral.  It may be experienced in meditation or sitting under a starry sky, listening to the crickets. The aura of tranquility is often associated with a calm environment, a temporary (perhaps fleeting) sense that you don’t have a care in the world. 

Though the critical components of peace do include affects such as the absence of war and freedom from disturbances, they are so much more.  They include mutual respect, shared values, a commitment to put peace ahead of prejudice and rivalries.  True peace will only arise when these components are recognized and the underlying obstacles to peace are addressed and resolved.

Sustainable peace is not passive.  It is the work of a lifetime – the conscious commitment to assure that the components of peace are conscientiously strengthened and preserved.  Fears and insecurities can cause otherwise stable individuals to waiver.  Even a well-developed sense of self can be challenged by the numerous forms of inequity that are presently evident.  Those inequities must be eliminated.  Diligent reassurances of progress are critical to establishing lasting peace.

For peace to be sustainable it must be based on mutual respect – the recognition of the divinity of all creation demonstrated in all relationships.  It goes beyond surface level interactions to supporting one another in developing human dignity – soul-level self-respect rather than ego-based pride.  Such dignity is the right of every person to be valued and respected for their own sake, to be treated ethically and to experience equity in all areas of life.  This is an inherent, inalienable right.  This is a keystone component of enduring peace.

Open communication is essential so that common ground and shared values can be identified and used as the foundation on which to build trust. Fully embracing “oneness,” and accepting the responsibilities that come with that embrace, make sustainable peace possible.

Over 40 years ago the United National General Assembly established the International Day of Peace. In 2001 they unanimously clarified the day as being dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace among all nations and peoples of the earth.

It is a common practice in the US is to declare days in recognition of this or that.  For years I have found that confusing when it comes to something like peace.  The declaration of twenty-four hours dedicated to something such as cease-fire and non-violence, begs the question: Is it then okay to be horrid and hateful during the other 8,736 hours in a year?  I know we must start somewhere, and one day is better than no days.  I feel we need to be clear about our intention: we want more!  We are called to do everything within our power to bring about its fulfillment.  We need to be firm and not accept anything less than its fulfillment lest we give in and tolerate something less than real peace.  We must be willing to go full out for all peoples – all creation – to experience the components of peace.

This year, the United Nations is acknowledging that achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms.  It requires the building of societies where all members regardless of race can flourish.

It has long been a stand within Centers for Spiritual Living that we are called to create a world that works for all.  This involves creating a world in which there is equity, in which all people are treated equally, regardless of their race, gender, orientation, age, ability or other unique attributes.  We envision all people, all beings, and all life as expressions of God.

Our Global Vision doesn’t just suggest that we should be nice to one another.  It clearly states that we envision “A World That Works for Everyone”- a world of peace and harmony, enfranchisement and justice – and that this is our work to do.  It doesn’t suggest that mediocre is okay.  It calls us to commit to it and lean into its fulfillment!

As Secretary-General António Guterres has said:  “Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments …”  In the presence of such forces, collective peace is not experienced.

We each have a role to play in fostering peace. Tackling racism and other demonstrations of prejudice are crucial and requires our collective action.

In furtherance of the United Nations dedication to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples, the Secretary went on to say, “We are called to dismantle the structures that entrench racism in our midst. We can support movements for equality and human rights everywhere. We can speak out against hate speech – both offline and online. We can promote anti-racism through education and reparatory justice.”

On September 21, 2016 – United Nations International Day of Peace – Centers for Spiritual Living formally recognized the Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative as an integral and essential element of our organization.  Its driving purpose is to raise the consciousness of peace around the world. 

So, what are we doing about it?

The Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative coordinates the weekly Heart of Peace Meditations on Facebook every Monday afternoon at 1:00 PM MT.  Team members are “vision led” to provide an array of meditation experiences throughout the year.

The Heart of Peace team invites everyone to take a deep dive into their spiritual practices, committing to daily peace prayers in total confidence that we do have the power to change the world using Spiritual Mind Treatment – Peace shall prevail!  The team is fostering the emergence of a world in which compassion and empathy overcome suspicion and hatred. A world that we can truly be proud of. 

Our next event “One World, One Lover, One Peace” is on United Nations International Day of Peace, September 21^st the 2022 on Facebook.

To achieve enduring Peace we collaborate, connect and take actions collectively.  The Heart of Peace team is always seeking ways in which it can engage people … to attract spiritual activists with a passion for peace.  We began by becoming clear observers, honest evaluators and dedicated doers.  We have discerned the components of peace and identified actions that synergistically bring about experiences of peace.  In collaboration with other organizations, we produce events and promote those of other peace organizations and our communities such as the Global Chain Reaction for Peace created by the Center for Spiritual Living Geneva. This past year we have featured the World Healing Peace Meditation, provided a Pause for Peace at the Centers for Spiritual Living 2022 Convention, produced a daily meditation guide posted on Facebook every day of the Season of Peace and Nonviolence, hosted World Labyrinth Day and the United Nations International Day of Peace.

Individually and collectively the Heart of Peace team members remain keenly alert to ways in which to remove obstacles to the free flow of peace around the world.  Acknowledging that a lack of information and education about other cultures and traditions, has been one of the primary forces obstructing universal peace, team members have engaged with other organizations to break such barriers.

And, there are more ways in which Centers for Spiritual Living is bringing forth world peace …

Global Services Committee, in fulfillment of our Global Vision of “… a world in which we live and grow as One Global Family that respects and honors the interconnectedness of all life; a world where this kinship with all life prospers and connects through the guidance of spiritual wisdom and experience” works diligently worldwide connecting and nurturing global relationships. These connections make it possible for people to learn about other cultures and make personal connections – essential components of world peace. 

Our Diversity Equity Inclusion Committee is dedicated to working toward a world that embraces and celebrates diversity and eliminates all expressions of prejudice in alignment with the United Nations 2022 theme of “End Racism. Build Peace.” 

We envision a world that works for everyone and for all creation, and are committed to doing our part to make peace magnificently ordinary rather than something exceptional to be achieved.

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United Nations International Day of Peace 2022 Theme: “End Racism. Build Peace.” 

Look for Peace Day activities in your own community and around the world: *Minute of silence at 12 noon (all time zones) *Peace education events *Intercultural and interfaith dialogues *Workshops on the UN Peace Day theme *Meditation and prayer *Planting peace poles *Community gatherings *Vigils *Concerts and festivals

“The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.”

By Rev. Chris Plym

Here it is -stating the obvious – we need peace. The world seems to be full of conditions that may shake our peace: from the wars in the world to harassed election officials; from mass shootings to domestic violence; from female human rights violations to homophobia. How do we realize peace?

As spiritual activists, we are called to rise above the conditions of the world and realize our true being. Our true being lives and moves and has its being in Spirit. How we live our lives is reflected in the world around us. Our inner peace comes before any realization of global peace. Notice that the word ‘conditions’ is used above, ‘conditions’ are a perception. All is perfect in the experience of Spirit. YET we are the co-creators in this world. We are given the opportunity to use our consciousness to create something new, something better. As we live peace, experience peace, realize peace for ourselves, it is projected into this ‘conditional’ world.

The title of our column comes from the Center for Action and Contemplation and recognizes the carefully practiced actions that can be taken to promote global peace. Spiritual luminaries give insights into those actions. “God gave St. Francis to history in the pivotal period when Western civilization began to move into rationality, functionality, consumerism, and perpetual war. Francis was himself a soldier, and the son of a cloth merchant; he came from the culture he critiqued, and he challenged these emerging systems at the beginning of their now eight centuries of world dominance. Rather than fighting the systems directly and risk becoming their mirror image, Francis just did things differently. He is the inspiration for this core principle of the Center for Action and Contemplation: “The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.”[1]

What might the practice of the better look like? First, undertake a clearing of internal consciousness of all that is unlike peace. This is a repetitive process for new triggers to shift our inner peace occur in the daily life.

Hazrat Inayat Khan (Sufi teacher and philosopher) gives peace-seekers one answer. It is in the stillness that peace is realized.

Through the Silence of Nature

Through the silence of nature,
I attain Thy divine peace.
O sublime nature,
In thy stillness let my heart rest.
Thou art patiently awaiting the moment
to manifest through the silence of sublime nature.
O nature sublime, speak to me through silence,
for I am awaiting in silence like you the call of God.
O nature sublime, through thy silence I hear Thy cry.
My heart is tuned to the quietness,
that the stillness of nature inspires.
     – Hazrat Inayat Khan

Other newsletter articles have discussed other methods.

Second, adoption of certain practices in our lifestyles creates the ‘better’. Learning about the root causes of racism, participating in discussions about global peace, following our hearts as we grieve yet take action about mass shootings, all of these and many more can give us the sense of action without creating more unrest or violence of any kind (emotional as well as physical). When one comes from a sense of and internalization of inner peace, our actions speak louder than words. These actions give rise to our internal imagination. Changes in world view are realized through our imagination as we co-create with Spirit. (And imagination applies to the collective consciousness as well as our personal consciousness.)

Spiritual activists – are you up to the challenge?

[1] “The Eight Core Principles of the Center for Action and Contemplation.” Center for Action and Contemplation Meditations@cac.org Sun 7/10/2022 6:02 AM [2] Ernest Holmes Quote: “Any thought which tends to inspire, to comfort, and to give peace to the mind is good.” (quotefancy.com)

A Spiritual Mind Treatment for World Peace

by Rev. Kathy Mastroianni

As I slow down, take that sacred breath of Life, and tune into the stillness that is within me, I sense and feel the Infinite Presence of Spirit within me, through me, and as me. I know that Infinite Spirit is Pure Peace, Deep Love, Transcendent Joy, Global Harmony, Infinite Abundance, and the Shining Light of Wisdom and Guidance.

I Know that I am One with this amazing, Peaceful Spirit and so is every person and sentient being on our beloved Mother Earth and beyond.

Deeply we are One.

In this Holy moment of Communion, I speak my Word, co-Creating with Infinite Presence, that World Peace is right here and right Now. I surrender any sense of disharmony or unrest or wars or projected anger or struggles between or among others in the world. I rise up in Consciousness and know the Higher Truth that Peace is here and Now. I celebrate with Joy how we are all brothers and sisters together on this earth journey and that each and every person and sentient being truly loves and supports each other all along the way. We realize that we are part of one race – – the human race – – and whenever one or another has any problems or issues, we come to their aid and support them with Love, with any resources needed, and with deep and abiding Peace. We instinctively and immediately remind each other of the Truth of their Light when a situation feels dark, lonely, or scary.

When there are opposing views between individuals, organizations, or countries, each person intuitively goes into active and deep listening, seeking to understand one another completely first, then joining together to find a Higher solution that benefits all—and beyond. This is all done with calmness, caring, compassion, patience, and true Love.

Knowing there is no situation too big or small for Spirit, with Joy and gratitude I celebrate Infinite Spirit’s Wisdom and Intelligence revealing this Truth for World Peace right here and right now. Thank you Spirit!

With complete confidence, I release this Word into the Law knowing it is fulfilled in amazing, wonderful ways. I Trust and Know this is done Now. And so it is.

Peace Proposition

by Rev. Sharri Johnson

In The Sun My Heart, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “In our times, all war affects all countries.” Clearly, this is being demonstrated by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Like many of my colleagues, as well as the people we serve, this situation has caused many emotions for me: fear (it exists, whether I like it or not), compassion, anger, resistance, anguish, and others I don’t know how to name. Even though it is more than half a world away, this situation feels loud in my heart and in my consciousness, and it feels personal. Ernest Holmes reminded us more than once that there is only one Life, and we are ALL it, so I feel compelled to DO SOMETHING about the challenge of Russia invading Ukraine. Needless to say, I am not going to pack up and fly there – money, time, lack of skill, and a not-quite ended pandemic all block that avenue. So what is my proposition?

I attended a virtual retreat recently that included a discussion of Ho’oponopono, which is an ancient Hawaiian healing practice that I have often referenced. This time, hearing somebody else mention it and then reading my daily dose of Thich Nhat Hanh, I received a serious download. Oddly enough, it came in the form of a suggested experiment for spiritual/consciousness/anthropology researchers. Here’s how it would work: teams of volunteers on every continent (it might be a little challenging to find volunteers on the Arctic and Antarctic continents, but I don’t argue with Inspired ideas) would be recruited to devote 15 minutes every morning to doing the Ho’oponopono exercise FOR a specific world leader or would-be world leader – all of them, even the ones we like. I, personally, started doing 15 minutes of Ho’oponopono each day for Vladimir Putin about a week ago. I suspect the folks running the experiment would make a list of target-leaders and assign one to each group of meditators. They would need to provide a photo of the leader, but no other information would be needed. The meditators would then visualize their target as they chanted, silently or aloud, the Ho’oponopono affirmations, from the heart, without judgment or fear:

Please forgive me.

I’m sorry.

I love you.

Thank you.

The goal, of course, is to lift the consciousness of those leaders in order to eliminate aggression and evolve peace. We often think about “negative” situations wondering what one person, half a world away can do to make a difference. Imagine small teams (8-10 people) scattered over every continent doing this exercise – how could it NOT make a difference? What do we have to lose by trying it?

I invite you to consider beginning such a group wherever you are. If nothing else, it will make you feel less helpless. Remember, a bucket of muddy water can be cleansed with an eye dropper and a dedicated person!

For Peace to Be Universal, It Must Be Practical

by Rev. Trish Hall

One of my favorite prayers of all the prayers Dr. Holmes wrote is his “Prayer for Universal Peace.”  Instead of just reading it or immersing in it, I realized it could be used as a practical guide to establishing universal Peace. 

A universal prayer for the good of all mankind, to bring peace to our hearts, to our homes, to our minds and to our souls, from today to eternity. 

Now is the time to ask ourselves, “What is mine to do to bring about Peace for all?”  “How am I to be as a catalyst for peace?” It feels like I was born with a passion for Peace.  As a little kid, I was a peacemaker.  Generally, I was shy – maybe even timid – yet, if there was discord, courage arose within me and I stepped into whatever was going on proclaiming that everyone needed to “stop being mean to one another.”  That was before I learned that such behavior was potentially dangerous and I learned that it was safer to not speak up. That constricted behavior dominated me for many years, until I remembered that what was imbued in that child hadn’t gone away, it had just gone into hiding.  My passion for peace was still alive and well, and showing up in other ways.   

So I ask you, “How is your desire for peace making itself known to you?  How is Spirit calling you to make a difference?” 

 

“Infinite Spirit, bring peace and good will to all peoples.”

When I awakened … or rather, when Infinite Spirit re-awakened me to Its presence in, as, around, through and throughout me, that Spirit that had shown its radiance as me as a child,  I reconnected with the Truth.  I realized that the courage I had felt as a child was an other-than-conscious awareness that it was Spirit-as-me, that stepped up as the peacemaker and that Spirit-as-me, is me now and always.  As time has past I have become more and more keenly aware of various forms of violence (sometimes subtle and sometimes overt), of pre-judgments skewing perceptions, of assumptions and presumptions that result in an array of inequities. 

So I ask you, “Are you alert? Do you notice inequities and micro-aggressions that often are not so micro?  When they occur, how do you address them to assure good will to all peoples in a peaceable manner?” 

 

“Direct the pathway of every nation into unity, happiness and prosperity.” 

Each of us, by our daily thoughts and actions can be catalysts for change.  We may feel that our individual voices don’t make a difference and yet, as Margaret Meade stated, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens [individuals like you and me] can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”   

So I ask you to ask yourself, “What is mine to do? Am I a letter-writer or call-maker?  Am I an organizer calling together others desiring changes that are inclusive and uplifting to assure happiness and prosperity for all?” 

 

“Remove the thought of fear and greed from the mind of man.”  

Fear and greed are the lowest yet highly effective motivational forms and alas, they are most common.  Fear underlies anger and very often expresses as greed – fear that there isn’t enough to go around which shows up as hoarding.  Because these two are often very deeply rooted, they present an especially tenacious challenge. Teaching and preaching about abundance tends to fall on deaf ears.  The person experiencing the lack, gets caught in contrasts – “they have everything and we do not,” is thrust at them from all directions.  We talk about the unlimited givingness of God, yet why does it appear that that givingness is not equal.   

So I ask you to ask yourself, “How am I modeling the unlimited givingness of God?  How have I dealt with my own thoughts of lack?” Can you see yourself modeling and sharing so others may prosper?  If not, what’s stopping you?  If so, go for it! Be creative! Share your ideas and collaborate with others so that together we can break the cycles of poverty and inequity. 

 

“Let every thought of hate be turned to love, every thought of fear be turned to faith, every thought of doubt be turned to certainty, every thought of war be turned to peace.” 

This is where we must take a deep dive into practical spirituality.  Drawing on Principle, living it day by day, we know that every behavior can be transformed.  Hate cannot coexist with Love so we must be the presence of Love in all situations.  Doubt is put to rest in the presence of spiritual certainty, another name for faith.  Fear recedes when enveloped in faith.  We must model how it is to live as Peace and invite others into our experience. 

 

“Heal the wounds of the world and bring peace upon the face of the earth.” 

We are the peacemakers, the healers.  As individuations of Spirit, we come into this world bearing everything we might need to fulfill this prayer.  As a child I knew it and then, for a time, I forgot … I lost touch with the boldness of my passion for peace.  I have grown back into the courage of my childhood, and I invite you to join me.  We are here to live the Prayer of Saint Francis: 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: 

where there is hatred, let me sow love; 

where there is injury, pardon; 

where there is doubt, faith; 

where there is despair, hope; 

where there is darkness, light; 

where there is sadness, joy. 

 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much 

seek to be consoled as to console, 

to be understood as to understand, 

to be loved as to love. 

 

For it is in giving that we receive, 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and 

it is in letting go that we are awakened. 

 

What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do

by Rev. Chris Plym, Chair of CSL’s Heart of Peace Committee

The manifest world seems to be experiencing chaotic times. The daily newscast wants you to believe in its prevalence. Many of us are feeling especially divided these days, pulled in different directions, as we navigate this tumultuous moment.  

What exactly is chaos? One definition is: “the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.”

This gives rise to our interpretation of the events around us. Science is proving that what we perceive is what we experience. We are the creators of the “formless matter”. Ernest Holmes would not deny the experience in the world, but our hearts and consciousness can lead us into a different place.

As Religious Scientists, we hold firm to our belief and experience that our consciousness can change the world. We hold fast to our knowledge that Peace resides in our inner being. We let go of fear and rash action while using our meditation time and prayer time to go deep, find all that may give rise to anything unlike peace, and resolve our inner conflicts.

Would a little internal conflict resolution serve you now? You are invited to journal/consider the following to resolve any inner conflicts to your sense of peace.

• Where must I take radical responsibility for my thoughts and beliefs regarding these tumultuous times? Approach this with curiosity. Are there any thoughts or beliefs that bear changing?
• Unearth any stories you may have around those thoughts and beliefs?
• Be truthful with yourself.
• What is the truth in Spirit? Recall that Spirit is good, peaceful, prosperous, joyful, calm, humble, loving, kind, and compassionate.
• Recognize that as Spirit, you have all the attributes you need to move your consciousness and let go of any stories or beliefs that are not serving you.
• Define what you really want to hold in consciousness. Determine how you will create that atmosphere and embody that belief. Do you need to write it down? Do you need to write it on stickies and place it all over your home? Do you need to remember it as you meditate and pray? Do you need to create a song that will uplift you?

Basic principles are these, and we have the opportunity to practice, practice, practice. We are all blessed as we take our steps to a better, more conscious world.

Inner Peace and Rituals of Healing

by Guenter Maier

If there is no inner peace, there won’t be world peace.

Life is our most precious gift, and life is within and without. Our human experience on earth begins with a first breath. We believe that life does not end in the last breath. Each human being is a soul that has experienced life many times, in life after life. 

On the level of our everyday life, we usually work and make an effort –consciously or subconsciously- to heal aspects of the wounded ego. On a transpersonal level, however, when transcending the ego, processes can happen that impact changes beyond biographical healing.

Life forever regenerates

Sometimes, when we feel restless and no inner peace, in moments of frustration, after disappointment, or through stored pain in our body, these inconveniences are like a “soul call” for deeper awareness and attention. Conscious care of the soul -beyond the ego- can become a true realization of transformative healing in miraculous ways. As the Science of Mind (SOM) teaching states: By thought, meditative practice and prayer, we can consciously recreate life. It is as in spring season: Life becomes new, it forever regenerates. 

In the recent past, in biology the field of epigenetics gained in scientific interest. Obviously the environment and the genes have an impact on the soul. It has been reported that the experience of trauma, anxiety and stress related phenomena had been transferred from the generation of parents and previous ancestors to the generation of their children, quasi like a genetic inheritance of unresolved and unhealed latent traumatic presence. For example, recurring dreams that transport unresolved war nightmares of parents can come to the surface in the psyche (soul) over the following generations.

Dreams, through their symbolic messages, and meditation can guide us to resolve and heal post-traumatic (family etc.) drama. If aware about such messages, it is possible consciously to dissolve the rigidity of their grip and to step into a liberating realm that frees the soul.

The Soul is source, deep and immense

Our soul is not captivated in a body. It craves unfoldment beyond the physical body into the vastness of cosmic energy and consciousness. In fact, it is the body that is in an immense sphere of an unlimited soul.

Healing can happen when we don’t find answers or explanations to questions that cannot be understood by intellect or reasoning. Spiritual practice and rituals of prayer, faith and meditation help. What has been disconnecting from the self by trauma can be reconnected by the awareness of one’s physical nature and flow of emotions. It may bring forth the awareness about inner truth. In spiritual practice, we can comprise the feeling of who we really are. Each individual being can do that!

Oneness of all life

Within the realms of a transpersonal sphere, we are inter-connected and can share the experience that everything on our planet earth is interconnect and one within a subtle fine life essence that permeates our being, in the whole universe.

It is nature that provides a huge gateway open to everyone of good will, open to every heart. Nature is grateful to those who treat her well. She leads to the experience of feeling the inner truth of being and –in silence- to that unspoken knowing that connects all senses with the oneness of universal energy and divine life, with that vibration of the cosmic sound OM, to the origin of source that is healing light.

When going into the beauty of nature, we can connect and communicate with the biosphere of plants, with animals, with the earth, the air, the water, the sunlight or the moon and the stars at night… Our bodies and mind can -with all senses- awake, be refreshed and feel the presence of cosmic energy within and around us. Such experiences hold the fruit of deep inner peace and deeper healing.

Sun salute

An outstanding practice in Hatha Yoga –which is not difficult to learn and to regularly perform, and which is good for expressing yourself into the essence of nature is surya namaskar, the sun salute. It connects you with the earth and the sky, it is a physical and spiritual realization that expresses your receptivity for the new and it holds the gratitude comprising your whole life, the earth, the air and the light, contentment and inner peace. We are beings of the earth, of water, of the air and of fire. (Find instructions for the sun salute at https://yogarove.com/how-to-do-sun-salutation-for-beginners)

Peace and gratitude be with you, within your heart!

“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble lies your treasure.” 

  –   Joseph Campbell (Reflections on the Art of Living)

A Tribute to Thich Nhat Hanh
by Rev. Gerd Pontow 

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh made his transition on 22 January 2022 aged 95.

He was a global spiritual leader, a poet, and a peace activist – worldwide acknowledged and revered for his teachings on mindfulness as well as on global ethics and peace.

In my daily morning group meditations I have used some of his inspiring words of wisdom contained in his book “The Art of Living” and I especially liked the one with the title “Resting in God”:

Just as a wave doesn’t need to go looking for water, we don’t need to go looking for the ultimate. You are made of the sun, moon, and stars. You have everything inside you.

In Christianity there is the phrase “resting in God.” When we let go of all seeking and striving, it is as if we are resting in God. We establish ourselves firmly in the present moment; we dwell in the ultimate; we rest in our cosmic body. Dwelling in the ultimate doesn’t require faith or belief. A wave doesn’t need to believe it is water. The wave is already water in the very here and now.

To me, God is not outside us or outside reality. God is inside. God is not an external entity for us to seek, for us to believe in or not believe in. God, Nirvana, the Ultimate, is inherent in every one of us. The Kingdom of God is available in every moment. The question is whether we are available to it. With mindfulness, concentration, and insight, touching nirvana, touching our cosmic body or the Kingdom of God, becomes possible with every breath and every step.”

I would like to share a few of His wisdom quotes:

When we have peace, then we have a chance to save the planet. But if we are not united in peace, if we do not practice mindful consumption, we cannot save our planet.

You know that your happiness and suffering depend on the happiness and suffering of others. That insight helps you not to do wrong things that will bring suffering to yourself and to other people.

The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions.

Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.

To understand the suffering of others, we must first touch our own suffering and listen to it. 

You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.

Looking at a speck of dust, an awakened person sees the universe.

Peace while breathing,
Peace while walking,
Peace is the breathing,
Peace is the walking. 

The nectar of compassion is so wonderful. If you are committed to keeping it alive, then you are protected. What the other person says will not touch off the anger and irritation in you, because compassion is the real antidote to anger. Nothing can heal anger except compassion. That is why the practice of compassion is a very wonderful practice. 

Peace begins within yourself. Compassion and understanding begin within yourself. Practice living in the here and the now, so that we can live every moment happily. To be free from regrets of the past. To be free from the fears of the future.

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

This Body is not me.
I am not limited by this body,
for I am Life without boundaries.
I have never been born,
and I have never died.
Look at the Ocean, and the Sky filled with Stars,
Manifestations from my wondrous true mind.
Since before time I have been Free.
Birth and Death are only doors through which we pass.
Sacred thresholds on our Journey.
Birth and Death are a Game of Hide and Seek.
So Laugh with me, Hold my Hand,
Let us say Goodbye,
Say Goodbye to meet again soon.
We meet Today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source of every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life. —Thich Nhat Hanh

Happy Birthday, Ernest Holmes!
by Rev. Kathy Mastroianni, Executive Director of the Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation and Heart of Peace Initiative Committee Member

January 21, 1887:

“A new age must wait upon someone to proclaim it and no matter how great his future destiny and dignity, he must first be born as a baby. None of these thoughts were in the mind of the neighbor who had been routed out of bed at three o’clock to traverse the fields of snow and help bring a child into the world.”

Fenwicke Holmes wrote these words in the biography of his brother, Ernest Holmes: His Life and Times. Ernest was the youngest of nine boys born to Anna and William Holmes in a rural farmhouse in Lincoln, Maine.

Here we are 135 years later, celebrating the birth of Dr. Holmes. Our lives touched and transformed by the teaching of this great man who is the Founder of Science of Mind: “a philosophy, a faith, a way of life”. Dr. Holmes was, indeed, a teacher of Peace.

Peace: A state of inner calm. An inner calm so complete that nothing can disturb it. The Peace which comes only from the knowledge that It is All. Fathomless Peace is meant by the Peace of the Spirit. This is the peace to which Jesus referred when he said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” The Infinite is always at peace because there is nothing to disturb It. A realization of our Oneness with Omnipresence brings peace, the peace which is accompanied by a consciousness of power. – The Science of Mind Textbook, page 617

The Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation is honored to have the sacred responsibility of preserving, protecting, and presenting Science of Mind philosophy and wisdom for each of us and to share this teaching of Peace with the world.

Dr. Holmes was a prolific writer, speaker, teacher, and leader. How amazing to step back in time and read his original works or hear audio recordings of Dr. Holmes, himself. It brings this teaching to life in such a way that it becomes a deeper part of our own lives. The more we read, listen, take classes, participate in Peace meditations and learn—the more this mystical teaching naturally flows into our day to day lives. We let go of what no longer serves us and become more Peaceful in our thoughts, words, and actions. We experience the Oneness of all Beings, bringing more compassion and Light into our personal world as well as lifting the Consciousness of the Whole Word—revealing the Divine Truth of Peace on Earth.

It is also fascinating to read stories about who Dr. Holmes was as a person, growing up, and how his path lead him to create this practical teaching that has transformed thousands—millions—of lives. His story is inspiring!—from his very simple beginnings, born on a farm in Lincoln, Maine—to becoming the leader of a worldwide organization that continues to change the world with the higher Truth that all is Love, Light, and Peace.

The Master Teacher, Jesus, said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14: 12-14. Each of us is here on this Earth for a Divine Purpose. As we do our own personal spiritual work, we experience more Peace and, through our passion and gifts, can do even greater things in the world—revealing more Peace for us all.

The Heart of Peace Initiative, through Centers for Spiritual Living’s Global Services, joyfully continues to bring Dr. Holmes’ transcendent teaching and message of Peace out to the world—truly revealing “A World that Works for Everyone” and powerfully affirming “Peace IS on Earth Now.” This is done through:

• Weekly Peace meditations on Centers for Spiritual Living’s Facebook page every Monday at 1 pm MT

Heart of Peace also creates other opportunities to experience Peace through events on key days dedicated to honoring Peace, such as:

• The Season for Nonviolence and Peace {January 30th -April 4th}
• World Labyrinth Day {the first Saturday in May}
• The International Day of Peace {September 21st}
• The World Healing Day of Peace {December 31st at Noon GMT}
• As well as at various Centers for Spiritual Living events

Heart of Peace also encourages all Centers for Spiritual Living around the world to host their own regular Peace Meditations. Resources are available to get started at: Heart of Peace Meditations – Centers for Spiritual Living (csl.org)

From Reginald Armor’s Book, “Ernest Holmes, The Man” page 53:

As we leave confusions behind and enter into the Presence, we become peaceful. Of Itself, Law is neither peace nor confusion. It is a mirror. If we hold an object in front of a mirror, the image in the mirror is that of the object.

Learn more about Dr. Holmes by coming to celebrate his birthday with us! The Science of Mind Archives is hosting their annual birthday party to honor the 135th Anniversary of Dr. Holmes’ birth! This virtual party is on Saturday, January 29, 2022 from 5-6:15 pm Mountain Time, so wherever you are around the world, you are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Please go to www.scienceofmindarchives.com for links and more information on joining in the celebration of Dr. Ernest Holmes. This website is also an amazing resource to learn more about Science of Mind, Dr. Holmes, and to access hundreds of ebooks and audio recordings to deepen your own connection to Spirit and your own inner Peace. Together—we ARE revealing Peace on Earth right Now. And so it is!

World Healing Peace Meditation: One More Way We’re Changing the World
by Rev. Trish Hall

John Randolph Price and his wife, Jan, launched World Healing Day, December 31, 1986, joining millions of people around the planet in a “global mind-link” to heal the world and reveal peace. Their concept was clear – a moment in time in which the consciousness of millions would be linked in a single focus:  A worldwide, congruent embodiment of healing and harmonizing Planet Earth.  The power of such clarity in any moment is unstoppable; however, the challenge is sustainability.  Maintaining that focus has proven to be a challenge.  Humans tend to get distracted by the swirl of worldly circumstance.  Alas, we often allow distractions to trigger attitudes that are the antithesis of harmony. 

The intention of the Heart of Peace Initiative of Centers for Spiritual Living Global Services is to take the mind-link of the moment that the Prices envisioned and shift it to being sustainable – to transmute moments into continuities.  The Initiative’s vision sees millions of people diving into the consciousness of peace, healing and harmony at random times as well as specific events, spontaneously reconnecting with the mind-link of millions.  The Prices believed, and we agree, that the sense of connection stirs the desire within ever growing numbers of hearts to heal what is unlike love, so that peace prevails. The undulating, rippling effective is contagious and produces a lifting of the consciousness within everyone, everywhere whether they are conscious of what is happening or not. 

The annual World Healing Meditation, now in its 36^th year, commences precisely at 12:00 AM GMT on December 31^st.  The Heart of Peace Initiative provides an hour of meditation and readings focused on the realization of global peace, healing all experiences that are unlike love/contrary to peace.

When we look around, the world – even our individual thoughts – seem rife with examples of discord, violence, and disasters.  It can be overwhelming.  The voice of doubt may raise its head, questioning, “What difference can I possibly make.”  The answer is, “You make a world of difference!  Every act of love, of kindness, of compassion ripples out touching and transforming others who consciously or otherwise do the same.”  Just imagine the result if each one of us raised these simple acts to the level of commitment and took responsibility for the influence we have on others.  Nelson Mandela: “Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social markers of difference.”

It serves no purpose to deny what is happening globally and locally. Unless we acknowledge that there is a problem, we are powerless to make changes. How do we walk the tightrope of being fully engaged, committed to transforming the problem, yet not lose ourselves in the problem so that we become a force of separation? The passion that ignites our desire to manifest a world that works for everyone, can all too easily become divisiveness rather than unifying.  Spirit stirs us to recognize that which needs to change, to seek solutions, to be impassioned to cause change, and to do so in ways that unite rather than separate us.

We receive conflicting messages:  we must “feel it to heal it,” yet warned, “That which you focus upon expands in your experience.” Recognizing what needs to be changed demands that we look objectively at circumstances.  Simultaneously, we must feel it and sense it deeply, in order to muster the energy to be a cause for change yet not get so consumed by it that we lose perspective and become ineffective.  We must place our focus on healing – to call forth the Divine Truth that shifts human experience at the level of cause.  Divine Truth does not deny circumstances; it provides the means to effect lasting change of circumstances.  It diminishes the human propensity to get distracted and waste energy on behaviors that widen rifts and entrench the sense of separation.  It calls us to be healers – unifiers that that dissolve the sense of separation.

So what is “healing”?  The simple answer is to make whole.  We must reunite our divided nature, releasing our fixation on what is wrong with the world and opening to pure potentiality – to accepting responsibility for doing our part to heal ourselves and the world.  Sometimes in the midst of chaos, it is hard to see “Truth beyond appearances.”  Sometimes, it is hard to remember when surrounded by alligators, that we are there to drain the swamp – to remember it is the Truth that sets us free from the alligators.

Ernest Holmes declared, “We have within us, a power that is greater than anything we shall ever contact in the outer, a power that can overcome every obstacle in our life and set us safe, satisfied and at peace, healed and prosperous, in a new light, and in a new life.”  Simply because we have it is no assurance that we use it for good purpose – that is a matter of choice.  How then do we choose to be?  Do we focus the use of this power on peace, compassion, healing of the strife and global chaos or do we remain imprisoned by beliefs that global peace is not possible because it has not yet been experienced?  Do we take responsibility for our past mistakes, learn from them and redirect our thoughts and actions?  Do we uproot our misplaced faith in the inevitability of that which is not desired or do we embrace the power within and be catalysts for change – catalysts for peace?

It is time to subdue all inner conflict by giving no further attention to the many distractions – the side issues that divert us from the fulfillment of our goal.  We achieve this by engaging all our thoughts and feelings in constructive, creative and productive consciousness – by being peace. 

We are imbued with the ability to use the most powerful healing force in the universe: Love.  It cannot be destroyed. It can be ignored. By denying its power, we cause ourselves and others pain. Embracing it is the only answer. Through the power of love, we can release ourselves from history’s entanglements and begin again. Love heals and makes whole.

Embarking on this transformative journey of shifting from moments of peace to continuities of peace, we must release attachment to how it’s always been, how we want it to appear, and ready ourselves so that Divine Possibility can have its way with us.  An ancient Zen story provides guidance.  It tells about a university professor who went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. “It’s full! No more will go in!” the professor blurted. “This is you,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup.”  We must empty ourselves so that we are available to new learning and new experiences. 

We are always at choice: the choice of how we are to be in each and every situation, the choice to be a conscious activity of God, the choice to apply spiritual principles to every circumstance, the choice to remember that the Truth that we know within must express into and as form, as circumstance, the choice to simply perpetuate our mistakes or learn from them and manifest our global vision of a world that works for all.

The Heart of Peace Initiative invites you to be a catalyst for global healing and sustainable peace, transforming moments of peace to continuities.  You are encouraged to experiment with being a conscious presence as peace in a variety of settings and being kind and respectful when circumstances might lure you to be otherwise.  We welcome you to meditate with us weekly on Facebook for Collective Peace Meditation at 1:00 PM (US Mountain Time) and for our array of other peace practices throughout the year. 

Start 2022 by attending the World Healing Peace Meditation at 12:00 AM GMT December 31, 2021 on Center for Spiritual Living, Heart of Peace, Facebook Live.  Please arrive 15 minutes early to settle in, get centered.  We start at precisely 12:00 AM GMT on December 31^st!

US/Canada/South America TIME CHART: 7 AM ET, 6 AM CT, 5 AM MT, 4 AM PT

Meditation Myth-Busting
by Rev. Sharri Johnson

I spent 30 years trying to learn to meditate and believing I had failed miserably. I had grown up in the Catholic tradition, where rote prayer was the norm and no instruction at all was given in meditation – although we were encouraged to meditate. My mind was chock full of misinformation:

• meditation means sitting absolutely still
• meditation means absolute silence, inner and outer
• meditation is the highest form of prayer, therefore not optional
• meditation is simple, therefore easy
• meditation is effortless
• anyone who is spiritual can meditate instinctively
• to meditate, one must first still one’s mind

There was more, but you get the idea, and I suspect some of you are nodding your heads ruefully. 

The challenge for me​​ was the only statement above that appeared in every book or class I could find about meditation, the last one about “stilling” the mind. I mean, SERIOUSLY, who can do that in the blink of an eye? That’s not a step, it’s a process! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone who could explain that process to me. I felt completely defeated and inadequate.

Then I took a class on mandalas. Imagine my astonishment when the facilitator defined “mandala” as a kinetic meditation. I thought that was an oxymoron! That was almost 20 years ago and it was an absolutely life-changing event. I discovered that when I was creating a mandala, I didn’t have to still my mind. What’s more, when I was working on a mandala, time didn’t stop – it ceased to exist. Thinking, especially puppy-mind thinking, requires time, so my mind simply stilled itself – while I wasn’t looking. Turns out, my body didn’t need to be still, just focused, and the focus was near-as-makes-no-never-mind to automatic. I have created dozens of mandalas since then, for myself and as gifts for loved ones. One hangs beside my prayer altar and another on my office wall.

Next, I discovered a ginormous mandala that had already been created called a labyrinth. Once again I found myself amazed and delighted to realize I could walk the labyrinth in absolute peace and solitude, no matter how many other people were walking at the same time. The process of equally balanced left and right turns spiraling into a central point of silence and Presence was miraculous to me. This is still my most favorite form of meditation, and I will eventually have a 100′ wide rose labyrinth, with a 4′ wide path (for wheel-chair accessibility) and 11 circuits at my retreat center.

I also found several wonderful CDs of guided meditations, which lead the listener into stillness gently and genuinely without effort. I especially enjoy the 21-day programs by Deepak Chopra and the great variety of offerings from Insight Timer, all of which are free! I think of guided meditations as a spiritual bus ride – all I have to do is sit there and be.

The capstone miracle of meditation for me was a book by Eknath Eswaran, in which he gave not one, but two different algorithms for stilling the mind in preparation for silent sitting meditation. I am so grateful that I never gave up on this option, because sometimes it’s too cold or rainy to walk a labyrinth (though I do have a couple of very nice finger labyrinths), and sometimes I really NEED to just sit still. Not only have I lost that fear of failure, but I sometimes find myself actually experiencing the state of bliss all of the meditators in my past promised me.

My last note (the last myth to be busted) is that simple, which is true of all of these meditation practices, is NOT a synonym for easy, but once I stopped struggling with the angel, it did bless me and easy just came naturally. If you have found meditation daunting, I promise you that one or more of these busted myths with fit and bless you, too. 

 

Peace-FULL: How We Communicate is as Important as What We Communicate

Picture this conversation coming from a place of angst.

Person A: I told you that I did not want green beans at dinner.

Person B: They were a great buy at the Farmer’s Market.

Person A (escalating): I don’t care. I don’t want them; I won’t eat them.

Person B (agitated): Look at everything I do around here. And now you won’t eat the dinner I made.

Person A: You always have to be right.

Person B (escalating): When are you going to cook dinner? Why do you question what I do?

Person A: Once again, it has to be ‘your way, or no way’.

Person B: Dam it. You are not listening to me.

And so the conversation goes. Is this communication? No, it seems like a test of wills. Neither party is listening or using other communication skills as they respond to the other. They are in their own world of what they want. No one is ‘getting their way’.

Dr. Ernest Holmes said: “Again, Jesus tells us that our gifts, brought to the altar of life, are unacceptable while there is aught between us and our fellowman [sic]. There is a hard truth. We cannot always please our fellowman. Human experience has taught that this is impossible. What attitude, then are we to assume? This: whether we please or whether we displease, we need have no personal animosity toward others. The altar of faith is approached through peace and goodwill toward all. The Divine Ear is attuned to harmony and cannot be approached through discord.” (SOM text, pg. 430)

So what could be possible in the above scenario? What could de-escalate this situation and draw the fictitious people closer instead of inserting a wedge between them?

A few personal attributes can be cultivated to increase your personal communication style and bring PEACE.

HUMILITY – this does not mean that one takes a back seat in the conversation. Nor does it mean that your perspective and wishes are to be ignored. It is just a different reference point when you communicate.  It is reported that C.S. Lewis said it so well when he wrote that true humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. It does mean a different approach to conversations.

INTEGRITY – integrity means that your ‘public face’ matches your ‘private face’. It means that you are always operating from a strong inner core of beliefs and values. In the case of our couple, each could determine how valuable this connection with the other is to them. The choice can be to act from the basis of what the relationship means to them. A question that could be asked for each is “does your outer ‘face’ match your true feelings and values for this relationship?”

EMOTIONAL HEALTH – if you have taken care of your feelings and emotions, potential conflict situations won’t be upsetting. By learning how to take care of yourself, you take care of your interactions with others. Emotionally healthy people recognize, understand and manage their own emotions and reactions.

POSTURE OF OPENNESS – are you open to learning new things? Are you open to what others may say or believe or express? Do you enjoy conversations and communications with those who are open, nonjudgmental, and interested in learning what you may have to say? If every communication comes from the posture of openness, you gain more insight and others will feel heard and respected.

CLARITY – this trait works both ways. Are you clear about your points in the communication? Is the other clear? If you are not clear about what the other is saying, there are many ideas to gain that clarity. You can ask for clarity. You can repeat what the other has said in your own words to be sure that the communication is clear. You can ask questions. Once again, this provides a basis for respect and true evolved communication.

TAKE THE LONG VIEW – what do you want to be remembered for? Do you want to be remembered for approaching communication from a perspective of ‘I have to be right’ or do you want to be remembered for how well you interact with others? Who do you remember as great communicators? Were they level headed, a good and compassionate listener?

Where does this all lie in relationship to your spiritual self? How does all of this play out in your life if you truly value PEACE? If one has confidence, trust in oneself, trust in the other, and recognition that you and others are part of the Universe and are intractably connected, communications can flow easily and gracefully. Consider also that how you interact with others, may be how you interact with yourself.  

THE EXERCISE IF YOU CHOOSE: Reflecting on Dr. Holmes quote – when do you feel you have the Divine Ear (and it is expressing as you)? Regarding the last paragraph, consider your role in the Universe.

Blessings as you continue your path of Peaceful Communication!

A DREAM FULFILLED – A VISION REALIZED

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly declaration “International Day of Peace.” The purpose of the International Day of Peace was and still remains, to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world.

In 2001, September 21st was set as the annual day of commemoration – not only as a time to discuss how to promote and maintain peace among all peoples but most remarkably, as an annual 24-hour period of global ceasefire and non-violence for groups in active combat.

The International Day of Peace reminds us of our commonalities. Regardless of where we come from or what languages we speak, we are more alike than we are different. Honoring those commonalities makes peace possible. Life is better in a world where peace exists. We draw on the wisdom and experience of the peacemakers and peacekeepers to learn how we can individually and collectively be catalysts for peace – how we can manifest a world that works for everyone, everywhere. Nations and communities around the world struggle with poverty and disease, severely limited access to education and healthcare, particularly in areas where violence is common.

There is something here much bigger than our day-to-day routines. We have the opportunity to transform the world so that our loved ones can live in sustainable peace. To achieve this we are called to step outside our comfort zones. Until we are willing to soften our own perspectives so we can catch a glimpse of someone else’s experience, peace will remain beyond our reach.

Peace is possible. The impact of each small act is immense. Imagine: If we were all simply kind and respectful of one another, how different life would be. We can all contribute to the worldwide culture of peace through generosity of spirit, prayer, advocacy, education and ensuring access to clean water and health resources. Every small effort makes a difference.

Throughout history, dating back to the Peace of God (989 AD) and Truce of God (1027 AD) arose from the desire to curb violence by limiting the days and times nobility could practice violence. Most societies have lived in peace most of the time. Today, we are much less likely to die in war than our parents or grandparents. Since the establishment of the United Nations and the creation of the Charter of the United Nations, governments are obligated not to use force against others unless they are acting in self-defense or have been authorized by the UN Security Council to proceed.

For many years, Rev. Dr. Nancy Anderson spoke of her dream – a vision that had been revealed to her – of a collective peace meditation in which countless individuals would gather in consciousness, wherever they were geographically, to realize peace through their meditation practice. She connected deeply with the United Nations International Day of Peace, however, she believed in daily practice. As she said, “We learn through the Practice of Collective Meditation to more deeply embody or BE PEACE and then that Peace is automatically amplified and resonates through humanity.”

When Rev. Beth Linguri joined the Global Services Committee in 2015, she shared that she, too, had a vision of people all around the globe meditating collectively to reveal peace on the planet. Together, Dr. Nancy and Rev. Beth submitted a proposal to CSL Leadership to recognize Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative as an integral element of the organization. Blossoming from their combined efforts, the Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative was formed as the Heart of Peace Initiative, a subcommittee of Global Services. Rev. Beth was the coordinator until 2020. The Initiative’s commitment is three-fold:

· Creating opportunities to gather in meditation

· Supporting Centers for Spiritual Living around the world in forming Collective Meditation groups

· Collaborating with other organizations to ensure that opportunities to meditate on the emergence of world peace are easily accessible to all.

Centers for Spiritual Living selected United Nations International Day of Peace in 2016, to conduct a ceremony at the Home Office in Golden, Colorado, to dedicate a Peace Pole and to formally recognize the Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative as an integral and essential element of our organization. The Heart of Peace Initiative coordinates weekly online Collective Peace Meditations and numerous events throughout the year.

At the 2016 event, Rev. Dr. Kenn Gordon reminded everyone that every day must be dedicated to peace – that the consciousness of humanity must be uplifted to abiding in and as peace moment by moment. As he said, the Peace Pole is a material replica of the intention that has brought it into form, just as the actions we take demonstrate Spirit’s call to do our part to manifest a world that works for everyone. World peace is a product of what is in the hearts of individuals. To achieve world peace, we must begin with the individual. In order for us to experience and express peace, we must first reveal that peace from within us – to remove all obstacles to the free flow of peace and love.

Religious Science has always been a powerful presence for peace, a core attribute of our philosophy of Oneness. As Dr. Ernest Holmes explained in Spiritual Awareness, “When we become conscious of our existence as an idea in the Mind of God, we shall find that we are walking in pathways of peace; that something within us acts like a magnet to attract that which belongs to itself. This something is Love, the supreme impulsion of the universe.”

Today more than any other time in history, peace relies on the commitment to not only achieve equality, but to secure equity for all persons – to fulfill our vision of a world that works for everyone, everywhere.

Submitted by Rev. Trish Hall, Heart of Peace Initiative, Global Services Committee, Centers for Spiritual Living

By Rev. Sharri Johnson

One Heart Retreat Center

 

This era of upheaval has caused me to stretch very wide, very deep, very slowly and very, very intentionally. Every time I turn on the television, my pc or my phone, I am bombarded (there’s no other word to describe the media onslaught!) by opportunities to grow. I don’t think even a rock could just stay the same in the midst of COVID, systemic racism, blind nationalism, economic upheaval, divisiveness, and oh, yes, let us not forget war. What has surprised me is the level of emotional trauma I personally am experiencing. I live in 2-hours-from-everything, Arkansas – there are no protests within driving distance of my home, so I cannot actually participate or be personally injured by the huge events that are happening in this country right now – and have been, loudly, for the past 18 months at least. Nonetheless, I am feeling embarrassed by and ashamed of the actions being taken in the name of society, power or money.

I have been forced to ask myself, over and over again, “What do I REALLY believe and what am I willing to do about it?” I grew up believing I lived in a country where everyone had equal rights and could expect to be treated equally under the law. It turns out this is SSSSSOOOOO far from the truth! So I am sharing my process of discovery with all of you. Today, I am explaining my personal yardstick, that is, the assessment tool I use internally to decide what I think about a person (myself or somebody else). First, though, I share the truth I KNOW: every human being has EXACTLY the same value, each is a perfect physical expression of a unique and wonderful idea in the mind of the Divine. This is undeniably true.

What I am talking about now is how my opinion/assessment works in day-to-day life. I will start with the details that are, to me (and should be to all people, countries and legal systems) irrelevant. These details have zero bearing on the personal worth of ANY human being: sexual orientation, gender identification, skin color, national origin, body size/type/ability, and faith tradition. This list is probably not comprehensive, but it’s enough to move me forward. Now for the metrics that DO belong on my personal yardstick: empathy, compassion, honesty, integrity, reliability, commitment, non-judgment, balance, a loving nature, generosity, humor, wisdom, kindness and a personal sense of PEACE. Again, the list is not comprehensive, but it’s enough to move me forward.

Give yourself the gift of imagining a society where my yardstick was the only one that existed. If you like what you see, you can start to make it happen by adopting it yourself – and applying it to yourself before anyone else. This is not the easy path, there’s nothing easy about it – but I believe it IS the natural path, the path of human nature, and I am determined to walk it exclusively, starting now. Join me?

Peace is Every Step – Let’s Move!

Part Two

By Rev. Guenter Maier, Berlin

 

(Continued from May 2021: Part One)

Peace Is the Source and the Goal

Being peaceful doesn’t mean swallowing injustice and remaining silent. True pacifists are passionate and rebels in their heart, and in action. The great “Princes of Peace” in the history of humankind spoke up with clarity against injustice and suppression: Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Nelson Mandela, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Elie Wiesel and many others. They remain messengers of peace and reconciliation because they were courageous and in alignment with truth. None of them was a coward who would have suppressed what he had to say and live to demand, claiming peace and justice. We remember them and they are shining examples.    

When you walk in the consciousness of peace you become a messenger of peace. “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” wrote Oscar Wilde. So it is about the realization of peace within you and the expression as who you are. Where there are frictions, conflicts, pain from disappointment, betrayal or all negativity of human conditions, it requires healing, steps to heal and moving on to action.

 

Plenty of Conscious Steps  

Conscious steps on the way to the realization of peace are:

Respect. It is essential and foundational. You only can respect what you truly recognize in its preciousness and value.

Recognition in inter-personal relationships becomes the ground for acknowledgment and appreciation.

Constructive and Non-Violent Communication as in dialogue and in non-verbal expression is for the healing of our soul and mental well-being as important as the blood circulation for the body. You can pray to God, and it still requires the step into the unknown and mystery of dialogue.

Actions often begin with gestures, little acts of kindness. They may be simple and easy, or big. Nothing can be taken away from their beauty and being powerful.

Peace is every breath. What is unresolved in your life that makes you feel breathless and unable to experience inner peace? What needs experiencing the shift to faith and trust? Conscious breathing contains the physical, emotional and mental experience of inner peace.

Leaving Outer Conditions. The search and desire for inner peace oftentimes lead to leaving outer conditions and to focusing on transgressing all thoughts of fear. There is a divine inner peace always present, independent from outer, worldly conditions. It is available to sensing its revelation.

Avoid Spiritual and Ethical Bypassing. Recognize reality and acknowledge it. Don’t deny failure.

We can claim Peace in the 5-step prayer that we call Spiritual Mind Treatment (SMT). In step 3 (Realization), we can consciously –with faith and conviction- initiate the realization of peace. There happens a shift to peace and wholeness.

Peace is Every Step – Let’s Move! 

Part One

By Rev. Guenter Maier, Berlin

 

Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen Buddhist and international peace activist, once wrote:

„Everyone knows that peace has to begin with oneself, but not many people know how to do it.”

There is a connection between personal, inner peace and peace on earth. Indeed, a decisive question is: How do we begin to resolve conflicts in our personal life to overcome negative feelings and obstacles that have caused pain, restlessness and suffering? There is no one who does not experience the shadows that darken well-being, action or lack of action in daily life. How can I as an individual, in a world of much drama and too many tragedies, achieve a realization of inner and outer peace?

In his book Peace is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh directs our awareness towards important aspects: the experience of peace is possible in a flow of motion, gradually. Peace can be sustained in a continuous movement, while it is embedded in our daily walk of life. Notice that the affirmation does not say “many” or “some” steps. It focuses on “Peace is every step.”

As we know, Taoist wisdom teachings also emphasize that – to reach a goal or destination – every journey must begin with a first step.

 

Reflective Exercise 1:

Becoming aware of necessary steps

What is the first step towards (more) peace in your personal life that you would want or need? What are the most painful feelings or conflicts, tension and restlessness that trouble your life? Is it a long-postponed conversation or phone call? Do you need a step towards reconciliation with someone? Is forgiveness for hurting yourself or someone else the first step? Or is it resolving and healing your negative thinking about yourself or others? Prejudice, judgement? The multitude of frustrations that usually build up a wall of pain over the years? Think about it, listen to your intuition (inner voice): What is the first step? What is the second, third and fourth step? What comes to your mind? Going down this path means taking concrete action. 

 

Peace Is Consciousness

The powerful and vibrant energy of peace is in the consciousness of peace. It resides in all its divine qualities as harmony, love, affection, beauty, grace, benevolence, appreciation and truth. The shift of thinking and recognition that build the source for initiating peaceful action happens in our consciousness. We create peaceful moments by conscious peaceful thoughts and successive acts of kindness. Kindness is always peaceful, and among the strongest steps in peace-making.  

Going many peaceful steps opens up our view and scope of interpersonal recognition. From a place of peaceful humility, we can look beyond our own limits and borders. Opening the heart to a new and deeper way of understanding is one major step and shift in the consciousness of our lives.

 

Reflective Exercise 2:

What requires a lift or an expansion in my consciousness?

A few questions for reflecting on reaching a continuous sequence of peaceful steps are, for example: Can I take more, longer and farther reaching steps towards peace? Do I have peacemaker qualities? What qualities or character traits interfere with the embodiment of a peaceful life? How relates the shadow of my soul to the lack of peace? What is hidden in the dark labyrinth of my soul’s shadow? How do I handle or how can I transform my thoughts of rejection, prejudice, denial, negative projection and hatred? Does my heart desire peace? If not, what needs to be healed and resolved?